SUPERMARINE head coach Sean Millwaters thinks his side have every chance of making history for the club by staying in the Southern Counties South.

Marine finished outside the automatic promotion places last season but were offered promotion after Minety and Blandford declined the chance to contest a play-off to decide who would jump up a tier this term.

It is not the first time Marine have played in the Southern Counties but they have not managed more than a single season in the higher tier.

Millwaters took over the head coaching role after Marine’s last relegation at the end of the 2012/13 season and believes the alterations he’s made to the team’s game last season and over the summer will serve them well in the Southern Counties.

“The aim for this season is to consolidate, and stay in the league. We’d be the first Supermarine team to stay in Southern Counties if we did,” said the Marine head coach.

“It’s always the unknown when you go up a league, we’re looking forward to this season, we’ve had a players meeting and a coaches meeting. We think we’ve got the personnel to stay in that league and we’re looking forward to the start of the season.

“We’ve added aspects to our game that will help us in the league. August is a big month adding for things to our game, moving up a league the defences are going to be better organised.

“It’s just a couple of new things to keep more ball, make sure our breakdown is watertight, while still adopting the same principals of fast and attacking rugby.

“As a coaching team we’re not unhappy with our preparation, then again is nobody ever 100% happy, there’s always things you want to tweak. It’s fair to say we’re at the stage by the end of July where we expect to be, the players training regularly are exactly where we want them to be.”

A number of Marine’s players have been featuring regularly for rugby league side Swindon St George over the summer and Millwaters hopes it will benefit his union side.

“I grew up playing league and union and there’s certain aspects that are a benefit to both codes,” added Millwaters.

“The main thing is our guys have continued to play together in the off season and kept their fitness levels up, the league guys are now filtering into the union side again which is good for us.”